The Role of Youth in Character Education Bases on Local Sociocultural Values Through Digital Storytelling

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the role of youth in RT 05 Pondok Benda, Pamulang, in preserving local socio-cultural values through digital storytelling as an educational medium in the digital space. The study is grounded in the increasing use of digital media among younger generations, which has the potential to serve as a medium for the transmission and reinforcement of local cultural identity. A qualitative approach was employed using in-depth interviews with the Head of RT 05/RW 03 Pondok Benda and local youth actively involved in cultural content production. The data were analyzed thematically to identify the forms of youth participation and digital storytelling strategies used to represent local culture. The findings indicate that youth act not only as content creators but also as cultural curators with a high sensitivity to customary values in digital content production. Local cultural practices are adapted into short video formats using simple yet effective visual techniques, the incorporation of regional songs as background music, and the documentation of cultural activities such as traditional costume parades during the celebration of Indonesia’s Independence Day on August 17, which are then disseminated through social media. The implications of this study highlight that digital storytelling plays a strategic role in expanding the reach of local culture, strengthening the cultural identity of younger generations, and fostering intergenerational collaboration in the context of cultural preservation and education in the digital era.